When the Branch Snaps
by L i s a . F r a n k
Summary: A run in with the foot leaves our heros under the care of April O'Neil and Casey Jones. After six weeks of constant torture Leo's patience snaps. For once it's Leo who really wants to get out there and cause a storm. Before Raph knows it he's caught up in all kinds of trouble he never thought he'd ever experience, let alone with splinter junior. [RXL]
1. Ch1 A Strange Encounter I

**1\. A Strange Encounter [Part 1]**

 _Donatello and Michelangelo spy on a strange encounter between their older brothers that leave them rather worried._

* * *

For the last few weeks, six to be exact, there was panic all over New York. If the New Yorkers knew it or not was beside the point. The turtle's lair had been found out by scouting foot ninja and their sewers were now overrun and regularly patrolled. Any contact with the turtles was a full on relentless aassult with no window to attack back. Many times they'd had been outnumbered and overpowered. Venturing down to the sewers now was about as safe as Mikey with a chainsaw on stilts. Without anywhere else to turn to they were forced to take refuge within the apartment of April O'Neil.

Six weeks. Six weeks of constant company inside the small apartment. Everyone squashed together and in each other's faces. Though the family had strong loving bonds the large space of the liar and freedom the sewers provided allowed them to maintain brotherly interaction and also gave them the personal privacy they all required in their lives. Within the first few days the peace between them had already begun to crumble.

Donatello lacked the resources to properly research crime, the foot and any other relevant information that would help solve their problem. On a personal note, he also lacked the space and equipment to work on relevant experiments that could also assist them or calm his panicked mind at the very least. Michelangelo _apparently_ faced more important problems. He hadn't the privacy to prank or set up jokes to distract himself and his family. Nor did he have video games or comic books or other sources of entertainment to distract himself. All he had left was sweet sweet television and even that was taken mostly up by Splinter and his never ending list of beloved soap-operas! Raphael as usual was the turtle going stir crazy. Yet for once he was trying ever so hard to remain not so. The lack of space meant he hadn't the privy or the room to truly relax in. There was hardly space to spar and definitely nothing for him to punch or break. Leonardo could no longer do the things he would normally do as every routine and meditation session he did by clockwork was instantly interrupted and had to be reworked around everyone else. Though despite this, everyone tried to work hard in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle:

Donatello turned his attention to surveying the internet for accessible public information during high crime activity hours and set up time tables to allow Mikey online PC gaming time in hopes of quieting him (all during the hours April didn't require her laptop for work purposes of course). He spent most of his free time helping fix any maintenance issues around April's apartment, or strategising and updating Leonardo.

When the PC wasn't distracting him or it was simply occupied for more important reasons, Michelangelo spent his time pursuing tasks that took up time and lots of creativity: drawing for example. And if he didn't feel all too artistic he would always talk Donatello into a game of cards for a good hour or so before bed. Or just plain out exhaust and annoy the poor turtle as best as he could.

Raphael tried his best, he truly did. To say everyone else was impressed was an understatement. He placed unspoken rules down that after a certain time him and his brothers just didn't interact at all unless extremely necessary. He'd spend those moments in the leather armchair by the window either relaxing, napping, reading or just glaring at anything and everything. This reduced the probability of getting into a fight of any kind, especially since he seemed more anxious in the latter hours of the night. He had even engaged in some of Splinters short meditation sessions and some sketching with Mikey on occasion much to his family's surprise. Casey Jones popped by regularly to give Raph some air, hang, and distract him from his inner and rather violent thoughts. This was highly appreciated by Splinter and the others however it was starting to drive April up the bloody wall.

Leonardo on the other hand wasn't coping as well as his brothers. On the outside however, he appeared to be doing just peachy. Yes his morning, daily, evening and nightly routines were scrambled and completely thrown out the window, yet he had managed to each day fit in a little bit of everything in and remain just as accomplished. When April was at work, before his brothers awoke and with her direct permission, he spent time in her bedroom meditating; He drunk plenty of tea, did katas in small spaces of the room when people were occupied in the kitchen or bathroom, engaged in conversation with all his family and friends, took part in card games and sketching and watched TV and presented a positive open outlook to their problems. He spent time searching the web when Donatello didn't and both regularly updated each other with hopes of finding something to help. Yet Leo's surface wasn't fooling anyone. Because six weeks was six weeks and Leo never bounced back this good after such a failure.

Though no one was solely to blame other than the foot Leo directed his anger at himself. He wanted no more than to get out of this apartment and right his wrongs. Regain the honour he had lost. Regain the home his family had lost and put the war back into their favour. At this point the irritation lurking behind his eyes was clear enough for both Don and Mike to see. Both gave him the space he needed and pretty much treated him as a clone of Raph. Raphael himself could see it all so much clearer. He was wary, kept contact and interaction with Leo at a minimum and reassured him at appropriate times. He was being as careful as he possibly could.

Raphael knew what Leonardo was like at his best. The one thing he was 100% certain of was Leo was not himself as he currently stood. He was not fit as a leader as far as he could throw him. He'd find him staring at the window with an intensity Raph knew all too well. Find him muttering, the skin under his eyes twitching during verbal recon with Don, the ticks and twitches in his fingers tips and the way his movements during each kata held an aggressive and sharp edge. Experience, age and unfortunately, even more experience, had told Raphael that in times like this he wasn't "second oldest" anymore. He wasn't "second in command" either too. After a quick and clear private conversation with his father and sensei, he knew he was going to have to be strong in upholding peace and reasserting the fact that they simply weren't ready for a fight. Wherever he wanted too or not was irrelevant. He wasn't going to let Leo lead them into a fight that would kill them three times over because he let his pride get the better of him.

With each passing day Raphael was losing his own control and maintaining his elder brother was a harder task each time. He was reaching his own peak, as was Leo.

It was around 7pm that Leonardo started to twitch and decided he'd had about enough. It was only luck that he'd been calm enough to think of a plan first. Without a seconds thought his gaze travelled across the room, scouting out everyone's position. Donnie and Mikey were in the kitchen, fighting over who it was that promised to wash the dishes before April got home. They'd been avoiding Raph all morning and giving him space after the little incident Mikey caused at breakfast. The hot head was resting in the worn out leather armchair by the window that'd be left open, grumbling to himself. He had one leg bent up on the edge of a coffee table, a magazine page resting half on his thigh and half in his lap. Casey had brought down the weekly issue of "Grease n' Leather" a non-mainstream punky magazine about engines, motorcycles and more things Leonardo didn't give a damn about. It'd been one of those moments Raph had really appreciated two weeks in. These magazines were one of the go to things when his inner anxiety built up and he couldn't release it. He took an unflattering swig of the drink in his hand and turned the page over. Leo was not fooled by his slumped posture, the way he dangled the drink calmly over the arm rest or the fact Raph's mask was loosely draped over his neck and shoulders. He knew Raph was close to snapping himself and that was all Leo needed to set his plan into action. He glanced to the spare room Splinter had been given to sleep in. Though the gap at the bottom of the door he could see the soft haze of a night light and hear the opening theme of some sort of soap opera. It was the perfect opportunity.

Quietly, with the intent of not alerting his other brothers, Leo crept towards Raph. It was only when he was a few paces away from his target did they notice and look up with a questioning stare. "Leo?" His older brother hadn't talked to him or spared him anything more than a passive aggressive stare all day, let alone approach him. He didn't answer straight away; just glanced back with a passive but cold stare. After a lingering silence he finally turned and nudged his head in the direction of the open window. "Don't you miss going topside?" His voice was low and steady. Raphael's brow scrunched up, trying to study Leo's face a little before he turned towards the window and back. "Bro, we _are_ topside..." he corrected in irritation.

The soft gentle breeze from the city made the curtain lightly flutter every now and then. The loud buzz of traffic was audible and the city lights shimmered for all to see. The scene was just as comforting as it was uncomforting. "You know what I mean Raph. Going outside, running on roofs and playing a little chase?" Raph felt the nerves under his left eye twitch and he knew Leo caught it.

The city wasn't just calling for Leo either.

"I miss it about as much as I miss the thought of being turned into turtle soup Leo." He snapped. "I told you this already! if ya' keep yer' mind off of it, it won't botha' ya' as much!" Leo softly turned his head back to his brother and looked down with a displeased glare.

"Yeah and it's doing wonders for your attitude. Look at yourself Raph; you're dying for it aren't you? That feeling you get after bashing in a few purple dragons, jumping through the skies like a powerful shadow; untouchable and unseen..."

"I know what you're doing Fearless," he warned, "And I'm warnin' ya'." His finger poked in his direction whilst his other hand turned over another page. "I'm not fallin' for ya' petty lil mind games. I'm not Mikey, an' I'm not Donnie, an' when I say it's not bothering me then dammit Leo, it's not!" He shot back louder than before, grabbing the attention of Donatello.

"Raph, keep your voice down and listen to me," that calm unnerving voice didn't waver. He needed to keep calm, needed to really get under Raph's skin. "Come on, let's get out of here. Just you and me, Raphael..." That sentence wiped the look right off his brother's face. A strange uncomfortable noise left Raph's throat as his face twisted in confusion. "Leo what the heck are you on about!?"

"I'm talking about me and my brother just going out onto the roof for a few minutes, having a lil race and little 'fun'. Maybe beat up a purple dragon or too and just let loose Raphael."

"We are not going out until Splinter says so. So get that into your thick skull before I smash it!"

"Oh so now Raphael wants to follow the rules?! You know just as well as me going out there for 10 minutes isn't going to change a damn thing," He hissed.

"We aint' going out there Leo god dammit," his jaw clenched as he spoke. No matter how far his brother pushed him he wasn't about to let Leo get to him. This time Leo didn't respond or talk back. Instead he just stared back at Raphael, moved a little closer and as the seconds started to drag on he put his hands on either side of the chair and lent in real close. He saw the skin on Raphael's shoulders twitch and his jaw tighten. When his brother lent back slightly out of instinct Leo knew he was on the money. Donnie was still watching and Mikey was still complaining. With a quick slap against the back of the knucklehead's noggin and a 'shut up" Mikey was in on the action too. "Woah man what the heck is wrong with Leo?! Raph looks like he's about to bust his head across the sidewalk... well, carpet."

"I dunno Mikey but I don't think this is _anything_ like this morning."

"Hey come on that was an accident Donnie! You said you weren't gonna bring it up you li—" with quick ninja reflexes the annoyance was silenced. "Now's not the time!" This was no normal argument. If this was a normal argument Raph would've shoved Leo away minutes ago and Leo wouldn't just be getting up in his face without lecturing his face off. It was a given the two hadn't clocked on anyone was watching them. Mikey slowly moved the hand off his mouth and finally for the first time all day didn't make a sound. Unfortunately the distance meant Don had heard one or two loud sentences from Raph but other than that they were too quiet to eavesdrop. It was clear that they wouldn't see much either; the angle Raphael had moved the armchair into and Leo's shell made things difficult to observe. Both silently watched in equal curiosity and confusion.

Leonardo had leant right into Raph's notorious "personal space", their heads a fraction away from gently bumping. Both Donnie and Mikey could only assume it was for Leo to whisper something but whisper what was beyond them. Michelangelo was racking his brain for a reason Leo might have whilst Donatello made a mental note on the strained expression Raphael wore.

Raph swallowed hard and peeled his eyes away from Leo, looking down at where his magazine was as he sat in silence. After a moment the leader swiftly pulled away from his second in command, spun around, lifted his hand in departure and offered a loud "Later bro," before disappearing into April's bathroom as if nothing strange had happened at all. As he passed by the open kitchen area he offered a soft smile to his other brothers, whom both has resumed arguing the moment Leo moved to avoid suspicion. The moment he was gone they both settled back into their curiosity and glanced over to Raph who looked rather catatonic himself. It took a few minutes before he realized the others were staring and shot a grumpy look back before sinking into his chair and pushing the magazine open and rather aggressively into his face.

"Don, I think I was right. They've gone crazy!" he whispered over the others shoulder. "Raphael's turned into a second mini-splinter and Leo's plain out lost it. I knew this day would come!"

"They didn't exactly," Don frowned and turned to his brother, "show traditional "crazy" symptoms now did they? To say they've lost it is possibly I tad too far Mike. We've been locked up in this small flat like prisoners which little to do and a lot of time. I'm more shocked that they haven't acted weirder sooner in all honesty."

"Dee, I'm telling ya. Everyone knows you don't get in a turtle's outer personal o-zone layer man! Wherever they've been going stir crazy, imprisoned or locked in April's apartment. Leo knows this man. And if it's all of the above and the turtle is Raph, ESPECIALLY Raph. Duuuuude! I don't have to tell you once you don't do it unless you wanna get knocked out!" Despite the excitement and exaggeration in Mickey's voice he still, making Don a little proud, managed to keep his voice to a whisper. "But he didn't punch him Mike and—"

" **EXACTLY**!" Within moments Don's pride was forgotten as Mikey voice raised an octave and broke at the end of the word. He scrunched his face up, battered his arm and signalled for him to both keep his voice down AND continue. "Look, Leo did something even he wouldn't dare do in this situation and Raph didn't punch him. He even avoided eye contact. With Leo, that is nothing but **_defeat_** man..." With a hum and a quick glance from Mikey, to Raph and back to Mikey he gave out a deep sigh.

"Let's just keep quiet about what we saw. Watch them for a bit and if any weird behaviour crops up again, or arguments too weird or too big to ignore pop up, we can butt in and help resolve... whatever it is?." The turtle next to him grinned, nodded and saluted. An "Aye aye captain!" was offered before Mikey happily trotted off into Aprils study. It was only after a few moments deep in thought that something else was wrong that it snapped into place. With an irritated grunt he marched after his younger brother. "Michelangelo Hamato, I'm not doing those bloody dishes!"

* * *

 _ **Author Notes ;;** Thank you for spending the time to read this as it means alot to me. I hope you stick around for I have so much to give to this story. It took alot to publish it, as I have written fanfiction related jiberish for years but it so fun now that I have! This will be a long story, but not dragged out nor boring (I hope.) The next chapter will focus on Raphael, his thoughts opinions on what happened, and ofc reveal what Leonardo said to Raph... and what he did. _


	2. Ch2 A Strange Encounter II

**2\. A Strange Encounter [Part 2]**

 _Raphael is unable to sleep and instead decides to reflect over the worrying and strange behaviour of his older brother._

* * *

It was 4:35 in the morning and for the last two hours Raphael had done nothing more than stare up at the electric fan as it buzzed above him. April was tucked into her room along with Casey, who after a few beers and April's approval, decided to stay for the night. His father was peacefully snuggled away into the comfort of the guest bedroom whilst he and his brothers enjoyed the small but comfortable front room. With a quiet grunt Raphael pulled himself to lean up onto bent knees and slid the cover away from him. It wasn't that it was a hot night or anything; but four giant mutant turtles sleeping in a cramped living room with covers and pillows and quilts created a heavy feeling in the air that just made him uncomfortable.

He glanced over to Mikey who was snoring away without a care. His head was pushed into the crook of his elbow and the rest of his arm draped across his face, the other had fallen off the side of the sofa a long time ago, along with one of his legs. In the leather armchair Raph tended to hog was Donatello in a gentler and sweeter position. His shell curved into the round dent of the chair Raph had made over time, legs carefully crossed and bent over an arm whilst his head lent into the corner of the other. Calm sighs and small noises left him, unlike the annoyance still loudly snoring and occasionally snorting.

For the past few days Raph had been sleeping in the armchair and Leo on the sofa. It was an unspoken arrangement due to the stress levels of the more stressed out, older and more aggressive turtles. However, Raph knew Don had had trouble sleeping on the floor having preferred to sleep on his shell rather than his side, which was a difficult position to maintain on a hard flat surface. So being the great wonderful charming and most defiantly, handsome, older brother Raphael was he'd given Don the chair for the night and the next few. Seeing the geniuses eyes just light up and soften at the gesture was enough to make it worth it. Being a big brother was something Raphael held with a sense of pride. Though he wouldn't dare admit it there was always that need to please his younger brothers and make them feel safe or loved. When it came to Leo, it was reversed. He liked to, on occasion and rarely, depending on what was currently happening in their lives and how pissed off they were with each other, do little things for Leo or attempt to gain Leo's attention. They'd be to please his older bro or impress him or make him proud. Though very, very rare, Raph knew they never went unnoticed or underappreciated and the joy was always evident in his older brother. What made it even better was he knew that's how his younger brothers felt when they did stuff to gain his and Leo's attention. It was all very sweet and touching, but with Leo lately in the last few years it felt harder to connect on that level. Though most of the time he was too annoyed with him to care that much.

His face twitched a little as his gaze left his two younger siblings. There was Leo, sleeping on his side facing Raphael. His arms curled around the pillow he slept on in a loose hold. His face was for the first time in a long while genuinely relaxed and calm. It had turned out that tonight Leo had also offered his place on the sofa to Mikey for a change. Though he insisted it was a coincidence, after the events of this afternoon Raph couldn't help but squint at him in suspicion as he slept.

If anyone knew what it was like to go stir crazy it was Raph and the events earlier had left him beyond words for the first time in a long time. He let out a gruff groan, his face screwing up and his fingers lifted to massage the space between his eyes. Something popped under his shell as he rose and heading towards the kitchen. Ninja skills meant he could maneuver himself in the dark to the fridge, grab a beer and pop it open in the kitchen silently with ease. He let out a soft churr after the first swig and propped his feet up in a chair next to the one he sat at. Content in the dark and quiet with his beer he cracked and rolled his shoulders while settling into his thoughts. Thoughts about the strange encounter he'd had with his dear older brother earlier that night...

* * *

"We aint going out there Leo god dammit," he quietly but certainly growled. Leo's gaze only darkened at the comment from his brother and stared back. Without saying a word he lent down and carefully placed a palm centre of each arm of the leather chair, blocking any exit. When Leo continued to lean in too close for comfort Raph almost felt the colour drain from his face. Normally it wouldn't have fazed or bothered him. But six weeks going on seven being very pent up and tight about everything made any sort of contact or closeness uncomfortable and aggravating.

He was so close. Leo parted his beak slightly and Raph could feel the soft chilled breath on his warm skin; could feel the warmth beneath that plastron beam down on him. It made him feel a bit heavy headed, or more so, claustrophobic. He wasn't a complete idiot. He knew this was definitely a control tactic and after a few seconds it had worked. Of course it had, what with Leo standing above him and giving him the death glare and all, but that wasn't what made the whole argument so uncomfortable. His shoulder gave out a twitch and his jaw tightened and Raphael couldn't help but lean back into the chair. That was his mistake: an act of submission.

"Come on Raph," his voice was calmer and softer than before, "I just want to have a little fun with my favourite little brother." There was an uncomfortable taste in his mouth as he listened to Leo's tease. "It'd be easy. We could just sneak out in the night when no one would even think of it. Or one of us could pretend to run off in an angry **strop** ," Leo made the word pop on purpose and Raphael's nervousness reached a whole new level, "and the other could follow with a simple 'Don't worry guys I'll get him back' just like normal..." Raph knew he should be offended at the implication that he would always run away after a fight but he wasn't. He didn't even catch it.

"Leo..." he warned.

But the warning fell flat. Raphael had lost any control the moment he lent back into the warmth of the leather chair.

"...It'd be fine if the two of us were out there; watching each other's backs. Sensei wouldn't notic-"

Raphael made a desperate attempt at an aggressive noise that brought Leo's words to a pause. He stared once more, his features softening slightly. The trapped turtle was going to open his beak to reject Leo's suggestions but stopped before he even started. His eyes widened and his body went cold.

Without word or warning Leo had removed the hand closest to the window away from the arm rest. It now rested near Raphael's knee on the inner side of his thigh. The younger brother was at a loss of words. His thumb started to rub softly at the scaled thigh before it slipped high up underneath the pages of the forgotten magazine Casey had brought.

"Raph."

Gone was the calm voice and back was the stern lecturing tone. All he could do was gulp. "Why don't you just think about it for a while and then come find me when you're ready to admit you want to go?" It was an order, not a question, and Raph definitely didn't miss it. Having said his piece Leo gave the flesh beneath his fingers one last squeeze before he let go.

* * *

Raphael stared at the patch of skin his brother had roughly caressed with a grim expression. Feeling the need to, he gulped at his beer. It did not change his expression. Leonardo's behaviour was more than strange and worrying. There were many words the hot head could use to describe how it left him feeling, but those words simply weren't enough. Again, it is safe to say, Raphael isn't a dumb as Casey likes to claim. He pays attention more than Leonardo thinks he does. And he definitely is more perceptive than Mickey likes to believe. And it was because of this, that Raphael was having an ever harder time dealing with the reality of that encounter. As he sat alone in the dark with his beer his mind began to fully process the information:

At the top of the list was the fact that the entire act had been Leo asserting his dominance over Raphael. Now the two were no strangers to dominate displays of aggression and affection as brothers, rivals and as members of a competitive and strong clan. What was different to all the other times was that this show of dominance was more aggressive than any he had experienced with Leonardo. His elder brother had aggressively and forcefully trapped Raphael into a corner with the intent of either manipulating or _scaring_ his brother into making a very big and possibly very stupid mistake.

Secondly came the fact that his brother, much to his own disbelief, had used provocative language and actions in his over bearing act. Raph's unpleasant expression depended at the thought. Every _suggestive_ moment had not gone unmissed: From the choice of words such as "favourite little brother" to "just you and me". The way his voice popped perfectly at certain words and how it said his name with dark undertones every time. And of course, the way Leo had towered over him, remained as close as possible and even went as far as to touch him in such a suggestive manner. It worried Raphael. Whatever Leo was planning wasn't as simple as 'poppin out for some fresh air'. There was another intention. Another plan brewing in Leo's mind and it bothered Raphael that he couldn't figure out what. All he could guess was that it was thought out and somehow Leo saw it impossible without the assistance of his second. Though a possibly flattering thought Raphael was needed in some sort of scheme it did not bring him comfort.

What on earth could be so important that Leo would cross those kind of boundaries? What was going through Leo's head? With the way things were currently it could only be bad and if Leonardo was successful it could lead to grave consequences. With the way things had gone it was clear Leonardo was at desperate points and barely keeping himself together. His grasp on his own control was clearly non-existent and that only meant Leo wouldn't think twice about doing something unthinkable if it meant getting Raphael to comply.

Shaking his head and swallowing the last of his beer he quietly and skilfully threw it into the bin. With a stretch and another pop from under his shell he headed over to his makeshift bed and grumbled.

Little did he know that through the dark of the night, the intense gaze of sapphire eyes had never left him, not since he'd first slipped out of the covers.

* * *

 _ **Author Notes ;;** Although it killed me I really enjoyed writting this chapter, especially the flashback. I plan on really going into Raphs reactions/thoughts on Leo's sexualised actions, and also, look at Leo's perspective of the whole event. All whilst cooking up some more wonderful trouble. On another note, tut tut Leo. How could you do such a thing to ya dear sweet bro? _


End file.
